DIY Mazda 3 headlight repair

In detail: do-it-yourself Mazda 3 headlight repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Automotive lighting devices are among the main security systems that allow you to clearly indicate the dimensions of the equipment at dusk and in poor visibility conditions (fog, heavy rainfall, blizzard), as well as illuminate the road at night. To date, a huge number of modifications of car headlights have been developed, each of which has both its advantages and disadvantages. The Mazda 3 headlights installed on various generations of this car have their own characteristics, which we will consider.

Also, it will not be superfluous to describe the device and the principle of operation of the system for correcting and adjusting the high and low beam, the basic principles of replacing the optics.

Headlights Mazda 3 BM got aggressive and impetuous appearance

As the owners of the first generation of the car note, fog lights do not always work correctly on it. And this is not at all the fault of the cracked glass of the Mazda 3 headlight, into which at high speed a pebble flew out from under the wheels of the car in front of it, but the oxidation of the contacts of the switch-on relay. Note that in this modification of the car, the fog lamp control relay is located directly under the bumper, because of which its contact pairs constantly interact with water and quickly become covered with foci of corrosion. If we judge in general about the head light of the first generation Mazda 3, then thanks to the presence of a system for adjusting and stabilizing the luminous flux, it is completely adapted for movement at night on areas with poor road surfaces. As for the taillights, they have an original design: round red "Stop" signals, placed inside the round orange direction indicators.

Video (click to play).

Tuning head optics of the first generation Mazda 3 2003-3008 BK

At the end of 2009, the first restyling of the car took place, after which the Mazda 3 received a completely updated front end, with the arrangement of round fog lights on the bumper plane. In some models, daytime running lights appeared, and the head optics were changed only slightly: the designers updated only the design of the headlight glass. Powerful halogen or xenon bulbs, coupled with a good reflector, still provide excellent visibility to the driver in the dark. The taillights remain the same, although the direction indicators and stop indicators now have transparent high-strength plastic glazing.

Headlights Mazda 3-series BL (2009-2013)

The third and last restyling radically changed not only the exterior and interior of the car, but also the design of all lighting fixtures. The updated headlights now have LEDs that draw less current, shine brighter and have a longer lifespan. The design of the headlights and foglights has been completely changed, which are located in a place that allows maximum illumination of the roadway in inclement weather.

In a Mazda 3 car, the headlight range control works according to the following principle: depending on the speed and load of the vehicle, the system controls the optical part of the headlights so that the light flux evenly illuminates the road and does not dazzle oncoming traffic. When the vehicle load changes, which is determined by special sensors installed in its front and rear parts, the electronic control unit for the light correction system automatically changes the direction of the optical axes of the headlights. The innovative control system allows the headlights to be adjusted as accurately as possible, which significantly increases the lighting efficiency.

In addition to adjusting the headlights when the vehicle load changes, the system automatically corrects the light flux when the vehicle speed changes. This improves traffic safety. When driving with the light on (low or high), the vehicle speed control unit receives information about the vehicle speed, which is transmitted by the DSC or ABS sensors. After that, the ECU, on the basis of these signals, as well as information about the vehicle load, transmits a command to the actuators to adjust the headlights.

Note that the correction of the headlights of the Mazda 3 can be carried out in manual mode using the corresponding controls on the dashboard. This is a very useful option anyway.

We emphasize that when the ignition is turned on, the headlight correction system is turned on, and the driver clearly hears the sounds of its actuators. This is normal, as the vehicle's on-board computer sends a signal to check if it is working properly. When driving on roads with poor coverage, the constant operation of the Mazda 3 headlight range control would cause them to flicker, in order to prevent this, the system specifically works at a certain interval.

If the headlamp fuse is out of order, the headlight range control will not work, despite the fact that it has its own fuse.

Sometimes, even on a car equipped with an automatic headlight range control, it becomes necessary to carefully adjust them (for example, after replacing them). The procedure is not complicated and does not require sophisticated equipment and instruments. You can do everything yourself with just a set of screwdrivers at hand.

Self-adjustment procedure:

  1. For models without a light correction system, the vertical direction is adjusted using a special screw that is located between the high and low beam lamps. The horizontal direction is adjusted using a screw located between the dipped beam and the swing beam. By rotating these screws, the optimal size and location of the light spot is selected.
  2. For modifications of the Mazda 3, in which the headlight range control is installed, the adjustment is carried out in a slightly different way. Directly on the headlamp itself there is a mechanism for adjusting the light flux. For vertical adjustment, use a flat screwdriver to turn the top screw clockwise or counterclockwise. The lateral screw is used to adjust the horizontal flow using a Phillips screwdriver.

As you can see, the procedure for adjusting the luminous flux of headlights in a Mazda 3 car is not complicated and does not take much time. Even beginners can do it on their own.

Car headlight adjustment diagram

There are a number of cases in which a complete replacement of headlights is shown. These include: violation of the integrity of the glass, reflector or diffuser, damage to optics in the event of an accident, etc. To completely remove the headlight from the car will have to suffer a little, since it will be necessary to dismantle the bumper and radiator grill. Let's describe in detail the entire sequence of actions:

  • we de-energize the vehicle's on-board network by disconnecting the negative terminal from the power source;
  • it is advisable to lift the car on a lift, or drive it onto an overpass. Thanks to this, it will be easier to get close to the bumper fasteners located in its lower part;
  • dismantle the radiator grill;

we unscrew all the fastening elements of the front bumper, carefully detach the plastic fasteners so as not to break them;

  • before dismantling the bumper, it is advisable to paste over it with a special packaging film, which will help preserve the paintwork;
  • remove the bumper;
  • before removing the headlamp, it is necessary to disconnect all the wires that supply the high and low beam bulbs, direction indicators, corrector actuators;
  • the headlamp is fixed with three bolts and a self-tapping screw, which must be unscrewed to remove it.

Installation of a new headlight is carried out in the reverse order. True, there is one caveat: the headlight must be centered, otherwise gaps may appear between its body and the bumper.